Mornin’ Politocadoes!
It’s been a while since we’ve checked in on that whole once-in-a-generation pandemic situation. Covid’s like an old roommate, you haven’t seen or heard from in a while but when you do, you remember just how much they sucked. EG.5, nicknamed Eris, is believed to be the new emerging variant of the novel coronavirus poised to take over the United States. The CDC has estimated that it’s responsible for 17.3% of new Covid cases. Since July, prevalence of the EG.5 strain has risen by 9.3 %.
Currently, there is nothing suggesting that the new variant has any increased severity. However, that still doesn’t change that there’s been an uptick in both cases and hospitalizations. “Eris”, while still producing the same symptoms as other variants, shares one important trait which is increased contagiousness. The WHO has been guarded in its responses, upgrading its status from “under monitoring” to one of “interest” and not necessarily panic. All experts seem to be cautious about labelling it as dangerous, which is probably the correct move at the moment.
It remains unclear as to why this variant is taking hold though. Possibly more contagious, sure, but research suggests that it’s not much of a change. One of the biggest problems with understanding this new strain is, well, there’s less data than earlier in the outbreak. The CDC now only produces NowCasts for parts of New York City and western and southeastern US. Other reasons might include reduced funding as the Covid-19 emergency was lifted, the prevalence of at-home tests which could contribute to under-reporting, and just general fatigue with Covid being a “thing”.
I remember pretty clearly when I got it again back in May, asking anyone who might know whether I had to report it. I tried reporting that I had a case to my city’s covid tracking unit only to learn it’d been closed down. And I live in a state that took it seriously. It’s just not on anyone’s radar anymore, even as there are still cases and hospitalizations. Even as Long Covid has become normalized.
But, we still have ways of tracking, like with measuring its presence in wastewater. All of the old routines we developed during the initial outbreak, masking, testing, social distancing when possible, etc., should remain in our bag of tricks. A new version of the covid vaccine will be available in September, designed to protect against the XBB subvariants. In the meantime, that’s really all we can do. Be vigilant, stay vaccinated, practice healthier lifestyles to not give the virus an inch.
Welcome to Thursday! Please be excellent to each other in the comments. The Mayor McSquirrel Rule remains in effect.Something to keep in mind! Police are using digital data to prosecute abortion seekers, and Facebook and Google are helping them! Even if they are not legally required to do so, the tech giants will aid them in this since it’s technically *against the law*. Please be careful when looking for abortion providers or helping someone who is looking for that assistance. https://tinyurl.com/2azchvd2
The Covid-19 pandemic continues even if the emergencies end, continue to vaccinate using the latest version of the FDA approved vaccines by Phizer and Moderna. Even if you are vaccinated, please continue to maintain social distancing measures, wear masks in public areas in accordance with CDC guidelines in regard to your own vaccination status. EVEN VACCINATED INDIVIDUALS CAN STILL GET IT AND SPREAD IT